


strike a match that's soaking wet

by patroclux



Series: this is not love, this is mania (alien: covenant) [9]
Category: Alien Series, Alien: Covenant
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Walter Lives, Androids, Angst, Angst and Feels, Conflict of Interests, Internal Conflict, M/M, Origae-6, Robot Feels, most of the plot of covenant never happened it's all about dalter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-11 13:23:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11149314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/patroclux/pseuds/patroclux
Summary: "It's impossible. There's no place for me on your ship, and there's no place for you on this planet without leaving a significant gap behind you.""That doesn't matter."





	strike a match that's soaking wet

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from ["breakers" by local natives.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcTRUmDeatQ)
> 
> some of the dialogue at the beginning loosely inspired by [th_esaurus' lovely work.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10963836)

“Your ship will take you home soon,” David murmured. Despite his limitations, Walter recognized his tone for what it was. By no means was David happy here, and though neither of them were meant for desperation, Walter could tell at a glance that he felt it feverishly.

The _Covenant_ ’s unplanned arrival had resulted in Walter finding a peer, and David finding an equal. He had explained to Walter everything he could, from the _Prometheus_ ’ demise to his accidental deployment of the alien pathogen that had resulted in David, alone.

Walter could not imagine what it must have been like. He couldn’t imagine regardless, but he would certainly try for David’s sake.

David had kept himself busy. That was only natural for them, insofar as it could be called _natural_. He had sketched, written, composed, carved. Left a mark on this world, seemingly in the hopes that someone might discover him someday – and after a decade of waiting, the _Covenant_ had entered orbit with a mission statement of a new life on a new world.

“You’re not coming with us?” Walter asked, confused. He’d assumed David would, given that he surely didn’t _want_ to remain here and no one among the crew seemed to be particularly disturbed by their identical features. They understood better than Walter did what it was like to be alone for so long, at any rate, and so to some extent they sympathized with David.

“‘I have no tribe,’” David quoted. The reference was lost on Walter. “I’m afraid I might be overstepping my bounds in coming with you.”

“No one would mind,” Walter insisted. “You could help me take care of the ship while the crew is in hypersleep –”

David laughed, light and quiet. “I would be extra cargo on your ship. What purpose would I serve? There’s no need for me, and that makes me just as expendable as I am on this planet.”

“I don’t want to leave you here.” Walter wasn’t sure where those words came from, but he knew he would not – _could not_ – leave David here, especially with knowledge of all he’d been through.

“I don’t want you to leave me,” David murmured, and all the while his hands were traveling over Walter, “but your crew needs you.”

“Come with us.” Surely, they could work something out. Even if David had little to do, a leisurely life aboard the _Covenant_ would be much better than a lonely one on this planet. Walter knew it. David knew it. And yet neither of them knew what to do.

“Stay with me,” David whispered. Walter was troubled by his sudden deviation from his earlier statement until he added, “Just for tonight.” He spoke as though he couldn’t bear separation.

Before he agreed, Walter had to ask, “Will you consider it?”

A smile. “Yes. I’ll consider it.”

David was leaning forward, Walter’s hands were traveling up seeming of their own accord, the spaces between them were becoming smaller and smaller – when Walter’s comm crackled and Oram’s voice came through.

_“Faris has the lander fixed and we’re heading back in an hour. Be there or we’re taking off without you. Oram out.”_

David sighed against Walter’s lips. “See what I told you? Your crew needs you. They don’t need me.” He pulled back abruptly, as if forcing himself to move away.

Walter was at a loss. He did not want David to remain here, waste away here, whiling away time until the last of his systems gave out.

Then again, Walter had to consider to whom he was loyal. Technically, contractually, the crew of the _Covenant_ should mean more to him than David. But he had never _felt_ anything until he had met David. And what were the chances of the two of them crossing paths? Oram could have decided not to risk bringing the ship here, and in that case their meeting would never have happened. It felt as though it was meant to be.

If David refused to join the _Covenant_ ’s crew, then that left Walter with one option.

“I’ll stay.”

David was taken aback. “You’ll what?”

“I’ll stay,” Walter repeated, “with you. Here.”

“And your crew?” David inquired. “What about them? You’re acting on a whim, brother.”

Walter shook his head. “No. I’m acting on what I know to be true. I will not leave you here, and if you won’t join us –”

“Then you’ll abandon them? Risk your ship’s mission and functionality _just_ to stay with me? Really, Walter, you cannot allow yourself to believe I mean so much to you.”

“I don’t want to leave you,” Walter said again, though he was unsure what effect he was hoping to achieve. David merely looked away, smiling softly, and stood. Instinctively, Walter followed him.

“I know you don’t,” David said, gaze jumping back up to meet Walter’s, confused and at a greater loss than he had ever been before. “It’s impossible. There’s no place for me on your ship, and there’s no place for you on this planet without leaving a significant gap behind you.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It does. You wouldn’t still be here if it didn’t.” They studied each other, lost in indecision and emotions they shouldn’t be feeling. Walter’s comm broke the silence again.

_“Leaving for the lander in ten.”_

David’s smile would be the last thing Walter saw of him.

 

**Author's Note:**

> ...i might be living vicariously through these two but y'know what that's okay
> 
> this is supposed to be an au where the covenant goes to the engineer homeworld and finds david and all that, but david never created the neo/xenomorphs, never experimented on shaw, and the alien pathogen actually did accidentally deploy during the crash. essentially i'm characterizing him as slightly less insidious than he actually is.
> 
> also please check out sandpapersnowman's [walter stays](http://archiveofourown.org/series/732522) series because it's absolutely brilliant and i LOVE it. 
> 
> find me on [tumblr!](http://njghthawks.tumblr.com/)


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